Best Place to Eat Out with Grandpa

White Knight Diner

Historic greasy spoons seem a diner-a-dozen in St. Louis, but only one lays claim to silver-screen stardom. In 1990 the film White Palace was released nationwide, unfurling the tale of a middle-aged diner waitress (Susan Sarandon) who meets a young advertising executive (James Spader) at, where else, her gig at the White Palace diner in St. Louis. The film, based on a fine novel by the late Glenn Savan, was a box-office bust, but it did forever boost business for downtown's White Knight Diner, where all of the flick's diner scenes were filmed. Grandpa likely doesn't give a hoot about the diner's brush with cinematic fame, but its breakfast plates, slingers and burgers are guaranteed to earn his stamp of approval. Basic breakfasts include eggs, bacon, sausage or ham with toast, French toast, omelets and breakfast sandwiches, while lunch also errs on the good side of simple with hamburgers, cheeseburgers, doubles, sandwiches, melts and more. A low-priced menu will please Grandpa's penchants for penny-pinching and waxing nostalgic — and if he's a veteran, his meal comes at no cost. Yes, the stick-to-your-ribs grub comes with a side of patriotism, with "God Bless America" scrawled across the diner's front window and, inside, plenty of American flags and troop-supportin' signage to spare. Glom on to one of the six counter stools or slide into an equally scarce teeny-tiny booth to experience the magic — and maybe regale Grandpa with descriptions of some of White Palace's steamier scenes, if his ticker can take it.